Constituents in my riding of Niagara West have come to me now for several years sharing their concerns about the pinch of the federal carbon tax. Each and every April, we’ve seen this job-killing, expensive carbon tax increase, putting more and more pressures and costs on the people of Ontario.

My question to the Minister of Energy: As our government looks at the increase in the carbon tax that is impacting families, and as we head into a summer season where we know families are hoping to get out on a road trip, visit places like Niagara region and experience some of the best that this province has to offer, what is our government doing to ensure that we are fighting this job-killing, expensive carbon tax and putting more money back into the pockets of the hard-working people in Niagara West?

From corner to corner of my riding, from lake to lake, people are telling me that it’s too expensive to pay the carbon tax and they want to see a government here in Ontario that is standing up for them. So my question to the Minister of Energy: How is this government defending the hard-working people of this province and fighting the job-killing carbon—

Thank you to the great member from Niagara. It’s just wonderful to hear his concern for the people in that area, and everybody across this province, with regard to the carbon tax.

The carbon tax increases the cost of everything, from the farmer’s field to the fork, everything between and everything that goes into it. And this summer, whether it’s the cost of a hotel or a campsite or the propane to cook on that barbecue, it’s going to cost more, and the fuel to get there is going to cost more.

We’re reducing the cost of living for people in Ontario by reducing the gas tax by over 10 cents a litre, removing the cost of licence plate stickers, removing the tolls on Highways 412 and 418, and, of course, the One Fare, which is going to save people $1,600 per year.

While the carbon tax caucus over there and their leader, the queen of the carbon tax, Bonnie Crombie, wants to raise the cost of living, we’re lowering it, making it better for families. We’re doing it without that punishing carbon tax.

We’ve got shovels in the ground on projects across the province: nuclear refurbishment going on at Darlington, at the Bruce, and soon to be at Pickering, to make sure on that energy; new build nuclear is going to be happening at Bruce; refurbishments at the Niagara Falls and in Cornwall for our great hydroelectric power—the basis, where it started; and, just recently, the largest procurement of battery storage in history, almost 1,800 megawatts. That’s enough to power 1.8 million homes.

Speaker, we’re making sure that the Ontario of the future has the power it needs to generate, to support those families, and we can do that without a job-killing carbon tax. The Crombie caucus over there has to stand with us, stand against the federal Liberals. This is the last day we’re going to be here. Call them. Tell them to—

Interjections.

Through you, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the excellent member for Oxford for that timely question. Indeed it is true that the Liberal carbon tax increases the cost of goods and services that have the most direct impact on the day-to-day lives of Ontarians. Whether at the gas pump, the grocery store or shopping for everyday essentials, the Liberal carbon tax affects each and every one of us negatively.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, this government will never stop looking for ways to save money for the hard-working people of Ontario.

Our government understands that Ontarians should not face financial burden when interacting with government. That is why we have delivered ways for Ontarians to save time and money when engaging with ServiceOntario in person or online—more options, more service, more convenience, and of course, we include with that the removal of licence plate sticker fees and renewals.

So while the Liberals work to make life less affordable, we have the backs of Ontarians, making life more—

My question is for the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. People in the riding of Oxford have repeatedly expressed concerns over the rising cost of living and how the Liberal carbon tax is making their lives more difficult. But instead of helping Ontario families, the federal government increased the disastrous carbon tax by 23%, and they will continue to hike it every year until it’s tripled. That’s just not right. No one in this province deserves to be punished by a useless tax that does nothing for the environment and takes away people’s hard-earned paycheques.

Our government will not stop calling on the federal Liberals to finally do the right thing and scrap this tax.

Speaker, can the minister please explain how our government is mitigating the negative effects of the Liberal carbon tax?

My question is for the Associate Minister of Small Business. My riding of Simcoe–Grey is home to thousands of small businesses that provide goods and services to the residents of Ontario and good-paying jobs. The Liberal carbon tax is hurting those businesses dramatically. Not only is it driving up inflation, it is increasing the cost of essential goods and services that small business owners and their customers rely on, from groceries to gas and utilities.

Ontarians have had enough of this costly tax. They know that it is nothing more than another tax grab by the Liberal government. Unlike the opposition NDP and independent Liberals, our government remains steadfast in standing up for the people of this province. We will continue to call on the federal government to put an end to this regressive measure.

Mr. Speaker, can the associate minister please explain to this House why the federal carbon tax must be terminated and why it is killing jobs?

We know that the NDP and Liberals have no intention of standing up for the people of this great province. In fact, they support the federal government’s plan to triple the carbon tax to $170 per tonne by 2030. This is completely at odds with the priorities of this government as we stay committed to protecting Ontarians, workers, families from these rising costs.

Speaker, can the associate minister please tell the House what measures our government is taking to keep costs down for small businesses and households in the face of this disastrous tax?

Thank you to the great member from Simcoe–Grey for raising a very important issue. I have had the opportunity to hold numerous industry-specific round tables with entrepreneurs across the province, and do you know what, Mr. Speaker? The message has been loud and clear: This carbon tax is crippling small businesses and hurting the people of Ontario. They shared how it’s driving up the costs of everyday necessities, from the cost of supplies from convenience stores and farmers’ markets, to the gas needed to fuel delivery services and heavy machinery, to the high energy costs of cooling and warehousing, and logistics.

Speaker, this is putting immense pressure on their businesses and making it increasingly difficult for them to keep their doors open and serve their customers. That’s why this Premier and this government have strongly opposed the carbon tax while the opposition NDP and independent Liberals have been siding with their Liberal allies.

Today, in the strongest possible—

From day one, our Premier has been laser-focused on making life more affordable for the people of Ontario. Whether it’s measures providing tax relief for families, lowering gas taxes, reducing beer and wine taxes, cancelling cap-and-trade and ensuring industrial electricity rates remain nationally competitive, our government is squarely on the side of Ontario workers, families and job creators.

We will continue fighting the federal carbon tax every step of the way. Enough is enough. Scrap the tax.

I thank the member from Chatham-Kent–Leamington for the question. The members of this House have heard many times from the minister and from the constituents at home: The Liberal carbon tax takes a serious toll on farmers, both financially and emotionally. It’s a competitive business.

The carbon tax is a direct and indirect cost to all sectors and consumer goods. In a time when affordability is a major concern for all Ontarians, the carbon tax is nothing more than a tax grab, adding no additional support or services to the people in this province.

Think about it: Ontario’s greenhouse growers would charge $16 million in carbon tax in 2023. The Grain Farmers of Ontario estimate that, by 2030, grain and oil seed farmers will have paid $2.7 billion in carbon tax.

We have heard the Minister of Transportation inform this House that the long-haul truckers are paying an average of $15,000 to $20,000 a year in carbon tax. That’s a direct cost—

Mr. Speaker, it’s simple economics: The higher the cost of agricultural production and transportation, the higher the cost of our processed foods. Processed foods, like many other goods, compete with imports like in any other market economy. When we have imported products coming in from jurisdictions that aren’t subject to the carbon tax, they have a competitive advantage.

The Premier, the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, the Minister of Red Tape Reduction—they’ve all worked. This government has all worked to create the right conditions for businesses to succeed—700,00 jobs coming into this province. The carbon tax works against this, and therefore, it works against all Ontarians—in fact, all Canadians.

Like the member from Pembroke-Nipissing has just said passionately, we need to axe the tax.